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MuchMusic

The winners of the 2013 MuchMusic and Coca-Cola Covers Competition have been announced.

Toronto natives the Oducado twins were declared the winners from more than 1,600 submissions for their cover of Phillip Phillips ‘Home’.

The Oducado twins will sign a singles deal with Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., which includes the production and distribution of a single, and a music video shoot funded by MuchFACT. Continue reading »

MuchMusic has narrowed it down to 40 hopefuls in their search for a new VJ.

The Fructis Fruit Sensation Presents: Much VJ Search has chosen its Top 40 VJ hopefuls and the competition is on! With wildly diverse applicants from across the country vying for a shot at one of the most coveted jobs in Canadian television, the Much VJ Search promises to deliver more excitement, challenges, and surprises than ever before.

The Much VJ Search really gets rollin’ when NML starts to roll out the Top 20, announcing four names a day beginning Monday, March 25, with each finalist earning a spot on the Fructis Fruit Sensation Presents: Much VJ Search tour bus. Continue reading »

If you have a love of music and pop culture and fancy seeing yourself on TV screens all over Canada, then MuchMusic has a job for you.

Much has opened up their Much VJ Search again in the hopes of finding the next big TV presenter.

The three-month nationwide competition begins soon with details regarding auditions and the submission process set to be released in the coming weeks.

“MuchMusic continues to offer viewers the biggest opportunities to fulfill their dreams,” said Neil Staite, Vice-President and General Manager, Music and Entertainment, Bell Media. “By teaming up with Garnier, this VJ Search will reach across the country like never before.” Continue reading »

After an intense competition, and more than 1,300 submissions, MuchMusic and Coca-Cola announced yesterday during the live broadcast of the 2012 MuchMusic Video Awards that Coquitlam B.C native Tyler Shaw is the winner of the second annual Covers competition. ‘The 19-year-old university student first got the nation’s attention with his covers of Britney Spears’ “I Wanna Go” and Hedley’s “Invincible”.

Upping the ante this year, along with receiving the second annual Covers MMVA trophy, Tyler also gets a much sought after opportunity to work with Sony Music Canada’s A&R team to record and release an original single digitally, shoot a music video fully funded by MuchFACT, and embark on WE DAY tour stops including Toronto, Vancouver, Alberta, Manitoba, Waterloo, Montreal and Halifax. Continue reading »

MuchMusic marked another milestone this week as its Facebook page hit one million likes, reinforcing it as one of the world’s top-ranked brands for social media influence, and Canada’s #1 domestic brand on Facebook.

To help celebrate, Much is inviting fans to “show that they’re one in a million” by posting their comments, videos, pictures or whatever sticks to a Facebook wall.

The best of these posts will be selected to air on Much’s flagship series NEW.MUSIC.LIVE. in a special edition tomorrow, April 18 at 6 p.m. ET, celebrating the one million likes with look-backs, countdowns and best-ofs.

The commemorative episode will also reveal the Top 3 Much most memorable moments, as voted on by viewers on Facebook. Additionally, a few lucky fans get a surprise visit from NML’s Phoebe Dykstra, who’s been set loose in the T-dot to locate and thank them.

Since April 2011, viewers who were inspired to ‘like’ Much on Facebook more than doubled, rising from 458,109 likes to today’s one million…and counting.

This dramatic increase can be attributed to an explosive year that included a number of exciting Much original specials including THE 2011 MUCHMUSIC VIDEO AWARDS and MUCHMUSIC PRESENTS JUSTIN BIEBER: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

NML also delivered excitement with a first-ever Canadian TV appearance by British/Irish boy-band sensation One Direction, a visit from U.K.’s additional über popular band, The Wanted, and the cast of the box-office hit The Hunger Games. And NML got the scoop first when Canada’s rising pop star Carly Rae Jepsen made the announcement of being signed to Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun’s Schoolboy Records.

Upcoming exciting social media opportunities include THE 2012 MUCHMUSIC VIDEO AWARDS, THE 2012 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS, and the season premieres of Much original series DEGRASSI and THE L.A.COMPLEX, as well as fan favourites PRETTY LITTLE LIARS and TEEN WOLF.

In other digital news, muchmusic.com generated 23.1 million video views in the first three months of 2012, 34% higher than last year at this time. Topping the charts was Much’s signature series, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS.* In the Twitterverse, @MuchMusic has increased followers by 38% since April 2011 with a total of 324,914 up from 236,067.

MuchMusic and MTV marked a milestone in 2011 reaching record highs of 404 million combined video views on their websites, up from 223 million in 2010.

Continuing to grow as leaders in the digital world with youth in 2011, muchmusic.com saw average monthly video views double over 2010, with mtv.ca posting an increase of 64% in video views over 2010, with 286.4 million.*

Topping the online charts was JERSEY SHORE with 94.2 million video views on mtv.ca for all the seasons combined, taking #1 spot on Bell Media’s 2011 online Omniture charts. **

“MuchMusic and MTV continue to deliver online and in social media engagement with youth audiences across Canada,” said Neil Staite, Vice-President and General Manager, Music and Entertainment, Bell Media. “Our viewers look to us to be part of their social circle and be accessible 24-7 across all platforms. Catering to, curating for, and caring about our viewers is what we do best, and our 2011 results are testimony to our continued success.”

According to Klout, a popular social web company which measures social influence, Much is among the top-ranked brands for social media influence and the most liked domestic brand on Facebook. In 2011, the MuchMusic’s official Facebook page saw an increase in ‘likes’ of 233%, up to 886,604 from 226,113 in 2010, while MTV Canada experienced an increase of 137% page ‘likes’ up to 72,934 up from 30,726 likes in 2010.

In the Twitterverse, @MuchMusic increased followers by 90% with a total of 236,067 up from 123,682 in 2010 and @MTVCanada experienced an increase of 50%, up to 69,349 followers, up from 44,530.1

MuchMusic brings the heat this Holiday season with the gift of fan fave HOLIDAY WRAP countdowns and specials, beginning Dec. 23.

Recapping the best (and worst) in music of 2011 and beyond are BEST OF THE MUCHMUSIC COUNTDOWN (Dec. 23), the 100 BEST VIDEOS OF THE DECADE(Dec. 26-30, Jan. 2-6), and unleashing more HA HA HAs than HO HO HOs is VIDEO ON TRIAL: BEST OF THE WORST 2011 (Dec.26).

Get some New Year’s resolution motivation as Much counts down the best bods and sexiest stars in the HOTTEST GUYS OF 2011(Dec. 27) and HOTTEST GIRLS OF 2011 (Dec. 27), and count down the most buzz-worthy musical hookups of the year with the HOTTEST COLLABORATIONS OF 2011 (Dec. 28). MuchMusic VJs vote on their fave music videos of the year in 2011: ULTIMATE YEAR END REVIEW (Dec. 29). And last but not least, viewers can keep the music pumping as they countdown to midnight during the classic commercial free MUCHMUSIC’S NEW YEARS EVE DANCE PARTY (Dec. 31).

All month long , Much fans can hunker down by the fireplace and wrap presents while watching marathons and movies, beginning with the festive classic Eight Crazy Nights (Dec. 2), starring Adam Sandler. Beat the cold with movie marathons from the Bring It On (Dec.3) and American Pie (Dec. 10) franchises. Viewers can say Happy Howl-idays with the TEEN WOLF SEASON 1 MARATHON (Dec. 17), and then grab an eggnog latte and tune into marathons of SCARE TACTICS (Dec. 23), and SECRET CIRCLE (Dec. 31).

Full HOLIDAY WRAP and marathon listings below.

BRING-IT-ON-A-THON

SATURDAY, Dec. 3

Bring It On –6 p.m. ET (120 min.)

Bring It On Again –8 p.m. ET (120 min.)

Bring It On: All Or Nothing –10 p.m. ET (120 min.)

SUNDAY, Dec. 4

Bring It On: In It To Win It –midnight (120 min.)

AMERICAN-PIE-A-THON

SATURDAY, Dec. 10

American Pie – 6 p.m. ET (120 min.)

American Pie 2 – 8 p.m. ET (120 min.)

American Wedding – 10 p.m. ET (120 min.)

SUNDAY, Dec. 11

American Pie Presents: Band Camp – midnight (120 min.)

American Pie Presents: Naked Mile –2 a.m. (120 min.)

American Pie Presents: Beta House –4 a.m. (120 min.)

MUCHMOVIE PREMIERES

Friday, Dec. 2 at 10 p.m. ET

Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights

Monday, Dec. 26 at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET

All You’ve Got

Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET

Totally Awesome

Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET

Wuthering Heights

Friday, Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET

The LXD2

Friday, Dec. 30 at 10 p.m. ET

Michael Jackson: This Is It

HAPPY HOWL-IDAYS: TEEN WOLF SEASON 1 MARATHON

Saturday, Dec. 17 from 2 p.m. – 2 a.m. ET (12 hours)

SCARE TACTICS MARATHON

Friday, Dec. 23 from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET (120 min.)

SECRET CIRCLE MARATHON

Saturday, Dec. 31 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET (4 hours)

BEST OF THE MUCHMUSIC COUNTDOWN PART 1 OF 2

Friday, Dec. 23 at 3 p.m. ET (120 min.)

This two-part special counts down the hottest chart-toppers and all the videos who took home the #1 spot in 2011. Featuring videos from Beyonce, LMFAO, Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga, and everyone’s favourite Canadian heartthrob, Justin Bieber.

BEST OF THE MUCHMUSIC COUNTDOWN PART 2 OF 2

Thursday, Dec. 29 at 8 p.m. ET (120 min.)

This two-part special counts down the hottest chart-toppers and all the videos who took home the #1 spot in 2011. Featuring videos from Beyonce, LMFAO, Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga, and everyone’s favourite Canadian heartthrob, Justin Bieber.

Reminisce on the best videos of the decade in this ten part series. Couch potatoes can also watch the repeat of 100 BEST VIDEOS OF THE DECADE from start to finish with a 10 hour marathon.

VIDEO ON TRIAL: BEST OF THE WORST 2011

Premieres Monday, Dec. 26 at 4 p.m. & 10 p.m. ET (60 min.)

The verdict is in on the 20 best-of-the-worst-videos as the VIDEO ON TRIAL jurors stack up the top videos of 2011 and then tear them down! Whether it’s Gaga, Pitbull, Nicki, Ke$ha, Bruno, Britney or LMFAO, no artist escapes unscathed.

HOTTEST GUYS OF 2011

Premieres Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 4 p.m. & 10 p.m. ET (30 min.)

From chiseled abs to bulging biceps, MuchMusic counts down the most droolworthy dudes of the year in HOTTEST GUYS of 2011.

HOTTEST GIRLS OF 2011

Premieres Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 4:30p.m. & 10:30p.m. ET (30 min.)

It’s ladies night and MuchMusic is counting down the most stunning beauties in Hollywood and beyond in the HOTTEST GIRLS OF 2011.

HOTTEST COLLABORATIONS OF 2011

Premieres Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 4 p.m. & 10 p.m. ET (60 min.)

Featuring commentary from RAPCITY host Tyrone ‘T-RexXx” Edwards, this hour long special highlights the hottest collabos and best musical hookups of the year. Featuring interviews with Pitbull, P Reign, and Wiz Khalifa.

2011: ULTIMATE YEAR END REVIEW

Premieres Thursday, Dec. 29 at 10 p.m. ET (60 min.)

MuchMusic VJ’s 2011: ULTIMATE YEAR END REVIEW brings you the best music vids of the year voted on by our very own Music Aficionados, our MuchMusic VJ’s! Categories include Best Video, Best Choreography, and most Animated Video, among others. There will be blood, sweat but hopefully no tears. Well, not too many.

MUCHMUSIC’S NEW YEARS EVE DANCE PARTY

Premieres Saturday, Dec. 31 from 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. ET (8 hours)

Get on your dancing shoes! Ring in the New Year with 8 hours of commercial free music video glory.

Immediately following We Day, mega pop-stars and co-hosts of the event Joe Jonas and VAMPIRE DIARIES’ Nina Dobrev, join host Lauren Toyota for a chat.

Also stopping by is Canadian pop icon, recording artist Shawn Desman; the Kenyan Boys Choir and Free The Children co-founders, Craig and Marc Kielburger.

Fans who want to take part in this high-decibel deafening episode can follow @MuchMusic, @NML or tune in to NEW.MUSIC.LIVE., weeknights live at 5p.m. ET and hit up muchmusic.com for details.

Also scheduled to stop by the NEW.MUSIC.LIVE. studio this month:

The New Cities – September 28

LIGHTS – October 4

Both Toronto and Vancouver We Days are being taped for a special to air on MuchMusic, Sunday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. Both events will also be streamed live online at www.muchmusic.com/weday allowing people from all over the world to tune in and take part in the day.

Following the premiere of the special, Universal Music Canada will release the concert as a special CD/DVD combo, Tuesday, Oct. 4.

Throughout the special, k-os is joined by some of his most talented friends, including Emily Haines of Metric, Shad, Lights, Saukrates and Sebastien Grainger of Death From Above 1979.

These rare performances can be enjoyed beyond the exclusive MuchMusic broadcast with the new CD/DVD combo MuchMusic Presents: k-os CD/DVD combo.

The live album features the same great performances from the broadcast special, including the album’s first hit single, ‘I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman’, performed with Saukrates.

In addition, the CD/DVD includes a bonus track with Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent and two, brand-new songs not featured in the special including ‘Holy Cow’, currently top 10 at alternative radio.

The Concert Hall at Toronto’s Masonic Temple, where the special was taped, has been home to concerts by David Bowie, The Pogues, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Led Zeppelin, and The Ramones, before its transformation into the Canadian home of MTV. The venue has operated under various names and served as a rehearsal space for the Rolling Stones, and has most recently housed performances by Adele, Brandon Flowers, DeadMau5, City and Colour, and Broken Social Scene.

MuchMusic places music lovers front-row centre of one of the most anticipated Canadian recorded music awards presentation – THE POLARIS MUSIC PRIZE.

Packed with performances from the critically acclaimed nominees and culminating in the announcement of the 2011 Polaris Music Prize winner, this year’s gala streams LIVE on muchmusic.com, Monday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. ET.

The evening will be recorded live from the Masonic Temple in Toronto, to air as a one-hour special Saturday, Sept. 24 at 10 p.m. ET, exclusively on MuchMusic.

This year’s gala is co-hosted by MuchMusic’s THE WEDGE host (and past Polaris Prize winner) Damian Abraham and features band presentations from Much host Lauren Toyota, MuchMore host Matt Wells, and MTV host Johnny Hockin. Grant Lawrence of CBC Radio 3 shares co-hosting duties with Abraham. The gala culminates when a group of 11 esteemed music journalists, broadcasters, and music bloggers reveal the winner of the $30,000 prize for the best full-length Canadian album.

The Polaris Music Prize is a not-for-profit organization that annually honours, celebrates and rewards creativity and diversity in Canadian recorded music by recognizing then marketing the albums of the highest artistic integrity, without regard to musical genre, professional affiliation, or sales history, as judged by a panel of selected music critics. Previous Polaris winners have been Final Fantasy, Patrick Watson, Caribou, Fucked Up and Karkwa.